Tuesday, June 06, 2006

, we visited the Great Hanshin Earthquake memorial institution, where we learnt of the disastrous effects of one of the most major earthquakes to have ever struck Japan. From there, we enjoyed a mini-cruise ride from Kobe Port Tower to Kobe Port. The view from the cruise was magnificent. After the cruise ride, we did some shopping, had lunch and then travelled to Kobe Fruit and Flower Park hotel, where we were to stay overnight. We had to sleep on a traditional Japanese mat. It was quite an experience. I think Sukiyaki is one of the best Japanese meals yet. We had that for dinner.

I realised that the Japanese give a lot of emphasis to the presentation of food. Every meal comprises foodstuff in vibrant colours and designs. After lunch, we headed to Nara Deer Park with the students of Tezukayama High School. Over there, we got to see white deers and various ancient temples. In the evening, we went on a shopping spree at a ¥100 shop and many others. ¥100 is approximately equivalent to $1.40 and is comparable to the $1 shop in Singapore.

Did you know that the Japanese even teach math on national television? I have photos to prove it. No wonder their economy is soaring!

Day 3

The bed at Righa Royal Hotel was so comfortable that my friends and I myself found it a challenge to drag myself out of bed. After the breakfast buffet, we headed down to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan by bus. It is the Japanese equivalent of the underwater world in Sentosa apart from the absence of travelators and the fact that it houses a much wider variety of organisms. These include, seals, walruses, porcupine fishes, squirrel monkeys, iguanas, penguins, dolphins, angelfishes, giant spider crabs, ratfishes, a whale shark, gigantic stingrays and many others. After lunch, we travelled from Osaka to Kyoto and visited Heian Shrine, Kiyomizu temple and Gion street, where we got a glimpse of geisha and meiko houses. Meikos are younger geishas, or geishas in the training. I managed to take a snap of the closest one can get to a meiko, on the street.

This was the day we experienced for ourselves what a major traffic jam in Japan is like. Our travelling time got delayed by a grand total of 2 hours. But it did not matter because we kept ourselves entertained in the tour bus. Upon arriving at the hotel, while many went straight to bed, the year 2 girls gathered in my room and we talked till the wee hours of the morning.

Day 4

We had the usual breakfast buffet in the morning. Being the typical Singaporeans that we are, we decided to 'tapau' some of the croissants and breads. They did come in handy later on in the day. From the hotel, we headed straight to the Universal Studios in Osaka, a 20 min ride by bus from our hotel. The day we spent over here was undoubtedly memorable. Everything seemed perfect and exactly the same as the actual Universal Studios, apart from the fact that everything was dubbed in Japanese! For instance, we watched the terminator and even ET talking in Japanese. Quite a sight, that was. Apart from the language barrier, if I were to say that the rides were fantastic, that would be an understatement.

After the full day at the Universal Studios, we headed down to World Trade Centre, which is apparently one of the tallest skyscrappers in Japan. We had a western-style buffet dinner at the 50-somethingth storey.

Day 5

We booked out of Righa Royal Hotel and sent off our check-in luggage to the airport, after which we travelled by bullet train (left) to one of the major shopping districts in Japan. Over there, we split into smaller groups to do our last-minute shopping. As usual, we kept on the look-out for a ¥100 shop outlet, which we found. We spotted Takashimaya as well, but we knew better than to enter a place like that. I made another realization- that most Japanese guys have long hair and have feminine looks. Most are relatively vain as well. My room mate and I spotted 3 Japanese guys turning simultaneously to examine their complexion in a mirror outside a shop. Quite amusing.

After shopping, we had ramen at a Japanese restaurant where we were supposed to sit on a raised platform. As we had some time thereafter, we carried on with our shopping until it was time to travel to Kansai International Airport in the first-class compartment of a bullet train, which comprised velvet seats. Did some more last-minute shopping to spend off our coins before boarding the plane for Singapore.

Overall, I thoroughly relished my stay in Japan. It is definitely an experince which has become embedded in my memory for many years to come. Most of all, I admire the level of discipline and maturity the Japanese society showcases. If you think Singapore is litter free, have a look at the streets in Japan. They are literally spot-free. The irony of it all is that dustbins are so scarce over there. Perhaps one can be spotted after every 500m. Also, cigarettes and beer cans are sold in vending machines and yet most youngsters do not seem to abuse this system. Politeness seems to be the Japanese people's middle name. They apologize profusely even for having accidentally brushed into you, for instance. Even people who do not know you personally smile at you. Shop owners do not follow you around and breathe down your neck like most shop owners in Singapore. I think Singaporeans can definitely learn a thing or two from the behavioral practices of the Japanese. This trip has indeed been a wonderful and enlightening one. =]